– NASCAR Stars to Teach Americans How to Tune Up Their Cars, Cut Their Costs and Keep Their Vehicles Running Longer –

Every car owner today is looking for ways to save money on their vehicle and keep it running longer. The solution is a simple tune-up and maintenance program that can be done in the driveway, but delivers big savings of about $800 per year in fuel costs alone, not to mention thousands of dollars in service charges.

To help Americans take charge of tuning up their vehicles, 3M has designated May 10th through 16th as The Great American Tune-Up. It is providing tune-up tips, project guides, product ideas and more to encourage car owners to get under the hood and do the cost-effective maintenance their vehicles need.

“Most car owners are trying to cut their vehicle costs and keep their car on the road longer,” said John Marmar, business manager, 3M automotive do-it-yourself products. “Many people are putting off expensive dealership checkups and routine maintenance due to the costs. What they may not realize is that they can do many of the same tune-up projects at home to clean their engine, restore their horsepower, improve their fuel mileage and extend the life of their cars – at a fraction of the costs.”

Who better to share some advice than the stars of NASCAR, who spend thousands of hours behind the wheel of their race cars and under the hoods of their personal cars looking for that perfect combination of performance, power and reliability? Greg Biffle, Jack Roush and Ray Evernham offer their tips for tuning up and taking care of your car.

Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford and classic car buff, says that just because the car is running okay, doesn’t mean that something isn’t declining in the performance of the engine or vehicle. He recommends paying close attention to the vehicle to determine if something is going wrong or needs maintenance.

“Just like on the race track, it’s better to monitor your car and do your tune-ups and regular maintenance than have an expensive part break or see your engine fail,” says Biffle. “It’s not worth having to spend $2,500 to rebuild your engine or buy a new car. That approach to maintenance and prevention helps us win races, and can help your car perform better and last longer.”

Biffle recommends daily and monthly maintenance to prevent problems:

• Monitor your gas mileage with every tank. If you see it decrease fill-up after fill-up, your car needs a tune-up.
• Check your garage floor for spots. Dark puddles can be an oil leak, lighter colors can be transmission fluid or coolant.
• Check your air filter each month to look for color and debris. Hold it up to sunlight -- if you can’t see the light through it, it’s time to change it.
• Check your fluids every month. Coolant should be green or orange not brown -- and it’s just as important in summer as winter. And, the windshield wiper fluid should be full.
• Check your lights every month. Make sure all of the bulbs are bright. If the plastic lenses are hazed, restore them to a clearer condition with the 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System.
• Check the windshield wipers each season. Replace them if they are streaking or leaving arcs of water on the windshield. This can dramatically improve visibility and safety.

Jack Roush, owner of Roush Fenway Racing and legendary horsepower engineer, knows how to tune engines for maximum life and RPMs. He recommends keeping the engine clean and allowing it to breathe for ultimate performance.

“The engine is like the living, breathing heart of your car. You have to feed it right, keep it healthy and provide it plenty of air for it to perform,” says Roush. “Basic engine maintenance is easy to do, even on today’s high-tech engines. You can really improve the health of your vehicle and ensure it has a long, reliable life. I’d encourage any car owner with simple mechanical skills to tackle their tune-up this spring.”

Roush recommends keeping an eye on the odometer as the guide for engine maintenance:

• Tune up the fuel delivery system every 30,000 miles. New easy to use tune-up kits like the 3M Do-It-Yourself Fuel System Tune-Up Kit make it simple to perform a basic tune-up on your engine. The kit cleans fuel injectors, intake manifold, intake valves, combustion chambers and throttle plate with the same trusted 3M products used by automotive professionals. Each kit contains 3M Complete Fuel System Cleaner, 3M Do-It-Yourself Intake System Cleaner, 3M Throttle Plate and Carb Cleaner, and an instructional DVD.
• Clean out the engine every 5,000 miles. Use a pour-and-go option like the 3M Complete Fuel System Cleaner to clean fuel injectors, intake valves and combustion chambers for maximum power and fuel economy.
• Clean the engine block every 30,000 miles. Use 3M Foaming Engine Degreaser to remove gunk and buildup that impacts performance. Just spray on and rinse off, but be sure to collect and dispose of the runoff in an environmentally acceptable manner. The clean engine block will cool more efficiently.
• Change the spark plugs every 100,000 miles. Check the owner’s manual to find where they are located and the right size for your vehicle. If they have spark plug wires, change those, too.

Ray Evernham, legendary NASCAR crew chief and team owner, has been tuning up race cars and street cars since his high school days. His attention to detail, focus on preventing parts and engine failures and preparation of race cars earned him three NASCAR championship rings and Greatest Crew Chief of all Time honors. Today, he keeps his collection of classic cars and race cars running himself and is restoring several hot rods.

“There are a lot of projects you can do yourself with the right tools and the right guidance,” says Evernham. “It’s all about preventing problems and keeping all of the moving parts in good condition. The average car owner can save hundreds of dollars every year by doing their maintenance themselves, and they get the satisfaction of seeing their hands-on effort pay off.”

Evernham offers the following tune-up tips:

• Change the oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Using the right oil for your vehicle and the season is critical. You can do this in your driveway with a few tools and a collection pan. Make sure you have a new filter ready to install. And, make sure you have an oil recycling plan in place – any retailer who sells oil takes back the recycled oil during business hours.
• Tune up the transmission every 12,000 to 15,000 miles. A clogged transmission filter can produce transmission slippage, engagement problems and hesitation. Replace the transmission filter, drain and replace the transmission fluid and add 3M Transmission Conditioner to cool and lubricate the moving parts of the transmission.
• Check the belts every 100,000 miles. Look for cracks in surface of belts and wobbling of belts when the engine is running, and listen for squeaking. Fan belts are easy to replace, timing belts are a bit harder and should probably be left to a mechanic.
• Clean the cabin air system. Many cars have a cabin air filter behind the engine compartment. This can plug up and reduce air flow into car. This makes the engine work harder and can create a musty smell in the car. Cabin air filters are available at automotive retailers and are sometimes easy to install.
• Check the tires every 5,000 miles. Look for the correct PSI on the label inside the driver’s side door and keep them inflated to that level to improve fuel economy and reduce wear. Measure the tread depth with a penny – just insert with Lincoln’s face downward. If you can see his face at all, you need new tires. Also look for unusual wear patterns, which may mean you need an alignment.
• Rotate the tires. This might sound like a big job at home, but it isn’t that hard. You just need a torque wrench, a jack and two jack stands. Remember to rotate tires on the same side, not side-to-side or crosswise.
• Clean the brakes. One of the warning signs is brake noise, including excessive grinding, squealing, or chatter. If you see a lot of brake dust on your rims, this might be a sign to have your brakes checked. An easy way to extend the life of your brakes is with 3M Brake Cleaner. Just spray on to remove oil, dirt and debris from the brake surface. You’ll see an increase in braking ability and a reduction in brake chatter.

So that’s how to tackle a tune-up and routine vehicle maintenance, and save thousands of dollars in the process. With excellent advice from Biffle, Roush and Evernham, a few simple tools and some great product solutions from 3M Car Care, car owners across the country can celebrate the Great American Tune-Up.

The 3M Car Care product line can be found at leading automotive aftermarket retailers and online at www.Shop3M.com. For more information on 3M Car Care products, visit www.3MCarCare.com.

About 3M

A recognized leader in research and development, 3M produces thousands of innovative products for dozens of diverse markets. 3M’s core strength is applying its more than 40 distinct technology platforms – often in combination – to a wide array of customer needs. With $25 billion in sales, 3M employs 76,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 60 countries. For more information, visit www.3M.com.

3M Public RelationsConnie S. Thompson, 651-733-8914www.3M.com/PressContactorDebby Robinson, 312-505-4336drobinson@vmg1.com